Broadcast sower



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1,

I. M. SWANK.

BROADCAST SOWER.

No. 386,416. Patented July 17, 1888.

. wmmsses: nrvnurom ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I. M. SWANK.

- BROADCAST SOWER.

No. 386,416. Patented July 17, 1888.

WITNESSES: a i INVENTOR:

' ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS, Pllolw-Lnhogruphur, Washmglon, D c.

ISRAEL MARION SlVANK, OF DAYTON, OIIIO, ASSIGNOR TO SITAAS B. RIT- TENIIOUSE, OF LIBERTY MTLLS, INDIANA.

BROADCAST SOWER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 386,416, dated July 1'7, 1888,

Application filed March 15, 1986.

(No mode To (LZZ whom, it may concern.-

Beit known that I, ISRAEL MARION SWANK, of Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Broadcast Sowcrs, of which the following is a specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof, the distributingwheel being partly broken away. Fig. 3 is a detail View of the drive-shaft, the wheel being partly shown. Fig. at is a detached perspective view of the meeting edges of the riddle-platcs,showing portions of the framing. Fig. 5 is a detached section drawn through the riddleplates. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the edge or rim plate. Fig. 7 is a partial top plan View of the distributing-wheel. Fig. 8 is a detached erossscction of one of the ribs of such wheel, and Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of the detent.

The invention relates particularly to that class of broadcast sewers in which the seed or other material is fed onto a wheel given a rotary or partial rotary movement, whereby to discharge the seed by centrifugal force.

The invention consists in the novel construction of the distributing-wheel or scatterer,and in certain other novel constructions and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described.

In carrying out my invention I usually secure the several parts hereinafter described to a rim-casing, A,which in practice is secured around or over the dischargeopening of the bag, box, or hopper; but manifestly such case might be omitted and the parts secured directly to the box or hopper where so desired.

The device constructed as will be described is designed for sowing all kinds of seeds and commercial fertilizers.

In the construction shown an edge plate, B, is secured around the discharge-opening a of the casing. This plate 13 is formed with right angled wings l and 2, lapped, respectively, against and seen red to the front and under side of the casin The wing 1 forms a bearing for the upper riddle-plate, C, while the wing 2 is provided with guides 3, which support the lower riddle-plate, D, and permit the latter to be moved or oscillated laterally and to be ad justed longitudinally in the operation of the apparatus. Slots 4 are formed in the upper riddle-plate, C, and screws 5 pass through such slots into the casing or support, securing such riddle-plate so it may be moved laterally.

The upper riddle-plate has its inner lower edge formed with notches or cut-out portions 6, and the edge of plate D meeting the notched edge of plate G has a notch, 7, so that in sowing a small quantity of seed or fertilizer it will be fed through three openings, as will be most clearly understood from Fig. 1.

To the lower riddle-plate I connect, preferably with an extension, 8, thereof, the carrier E, which is movable longitudinally along the bottom of the case, and is pivotally connected with the plate D, so its longitudinal movement may be transmitted to the plate D without interfering with the lateral movement of the latter, as will be described. To the carrier, and through the same with the riddleplate D, is connected a spring, F, by which the said plate D is automatically closed, when the detent presently described is moved to release the carrier. This detent G is arranged to engage an arm, 0, of the carrier, and is preferably secured adj ustably to the case, so it may be set to register with the divisions or graduations of a scale, H, formed on the case, so the device may be set to sow any desired quantity of seed. This adjustment of the detent is preferably attained by securing it to the case through the medium of hooks g on the detent fitting under a bailshaped guide, I, on the case, and a clamping-screw, 2, threaded in the detent and binding against bail I. The notch 9 of the detent, in which the arm 0 of the carrier is secured, is slightly wider than said arm, so the latter has a slight play, probably of oneeighth of an inch, which enables the operator to regulate the quantity to be sown on poor or good soil without stopping to vary the set of the detent.

The riddle-plates are provided with forwardly-eXtended arms J K, which are slotted to fit over the cranks of the d rive shaft, and form the connections between the riddlc-plates and said cranks in the operation of the device.

The drive-shaft L is pivoted at its upper end in the bracket and at its lower end in one end of the combined arm and brace M, which has its other end secured to the casing. To this arm M is secured the guard m, usually formed integral withthe arm, as shown.

To the driveshaftN is secured the pulley n, and on the shaft are formed cranks j and'lc, which engage connections J K and serve to oscillate the riddle-plates as the shaft is revolved. I

The rod 0, made preferably of iron, serves to oscillate the shaft N, and is suitably supported so it may be reciprocated. This rod is formed, preferably, of metal, and has an operative connection with the pulley n of shaft N. This may be effected by the construction shown, or by forming the pulley with gearteeth and providing rod 0 with a rack meshing thereinto; but the construction as shown is preferred. In this construction a bow-string, o, is secured at its opposite ends to the rod 0 and wrapped around the pulley 11..

To prevent any jar orjolt in the reciprocation of the rod 0, I provide springs P, hearing between thecasing and shoulders on the rod 0, and serve to cushion such rod in both directions of movement. On the drive-shaft, and below the discharge of the riddle-plates, I secure the scatterer or distributing-wheel Q, formed with a central or base plate, 11, ribs 12, and extensions 13. s

It is preferred to secure the center plate and ribs forming the body of the wheel to the castmetal hub It, formed on the drive-shaft. This hub is formed with a lateral flange, r, at its lower edge, on which the center plate of the wheel rests.

It will be noticed that the distributing-wheel is depressed at the center and rises toward its outer edge, by which construction the seed or fertilizer as it leaves the wheel is given an upward throw, and may be thereby cast farther. It will also be noticed that the extensions 13 are ranged on each side of the ribs, in order that in both directions of movement the seed may be cast from the extremities or points of the ribs.

The center plate and ribs of the wheel are formed of sheet metal and the ribs are bent up from the center plate, by which construction I am able to secure a smooth joint between the parts, so the seeds may be more easily delivered in the operation of the device, avoiding allrough joints commonly incident to the soldering of the ribs onto center plates.

In operation a bag is attached to the box or case and is supported by straps from the shoulder of the operator, the machine resting on his hip. It will be understood, however, that a machine constructed as described might be attached to a wheeled vehicle and the wheel of the latter be Suitably geared with the shaft of the distributer-wheel.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. In a broadcast sower, a distributingwheel divided by ribs into a series of receivprovided with ribs dividing it into chambers,

and the hub being formed hollow and having openings communicating with the chambers of the body, whereby to form channels between said chambers, substantially as set forth.

3. In a broadcast sower, a distributing wheel having a sheet-metal body formed with ribs bent up from said body and formed of double thickness and approximately at right angles to the body, whereby the wheel may be operatively revolved in both directions, substantially as set forth.

4:. In a broadcast sower, a distributingwheel having its body formed of sheet metal and in sections, the adjoining edges of said sections being bent to form flanges constituting halves of the rib, the free edge of one flange being bent over that of the other to form a crown for the rib, substantially as set forth.

5. In a broadcast sower, the combination of the framing, the riddles, supports connecting the riddles to the framing, whereby they may be independently oscillated, and devices whereby to operate said riddles, substantially as set forth.

6. In a broadcast sower, the combination, with the framing and the riddle-plate, of a carrier pivoted thereto, and guides for directing the movement of said carrier longitudinally along the framing, whereby to preserve the location of the pivotal connection of the riddle therewith in line longitudinal to the framing, substantially as set forth.

7. In combination with the riddle and the carrier connected therewith, a bail-shaped guide, I, a detent constructed to engage the carrier, and having a hook or hooks engaged with bail I and movable along the same, and a clamp whereby to secure said detent in any desired adjustment.

8. The combination, in a broadcast sower, with a case or framing having a dischargeopening at the juncture of its front side and bottom, of a riddle-plate movable laterally on the front side of the case and a riddle-plate movable laterally and longitudinally along the rear side of the case,substantially as set forth.

9. In a broadcast sower, the combination of the frame or case provided with a dischargeopening at the juncture of its front side and bottom, the distributing-wheel, and a riddleplate connected with the front side of the case and movable laterally, said plate being arranged and movable in a plane approximately parallel with the axis of the distributing-wheel, substantially as shown and described.

10. The combination, with the drive-shaft and the distributer-wheel, of the arm forming a brace and pivotal support for the drive shaft, and having a guard-plate formed integrally with it, all arranged and operating sub stantially as set forth.

11. The combination of the lower riddle- IIO plate, guides securing the same so it may be moved longitudinally and laterally, the carrier pivotally connected with said riddle-plate,and a detent constructed to secure said carrier in any desired adjustment, substantially as set forth.

12. The combination of the lower riddleplate, a dctent constructed to secure said carrier in any desired adjustment, and a spring for closing the riddle-plate when the detent is released, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination, with the lower riddleplate, of the detent constructed to secure said carrier in any desired adjustment, and adj ustable,whereby it may be set at different points, and connections between said dctent and riddle-plate, substantially as set forth.

14. The combination,with the metallic edge plate having right-angled sections and provided with guides for the base riddle-plate, of the riddle -plates, the drive shaft having cranks connected with the riddle-plates, and the distributer, substantially as set forth.

15. The combination of the drive-shaft having cranks, the scatterer secured to said shaft, the edge plate having one Wing forming a bearing for one riddle-plate and its other wing provided with guides for the other riddle-plate, and the riddle-plates provided with slotted arms engaging the cranks of the drive-shaft, substantially as set forth.

16. In a broadcast sower, substantially as herein described,the driveshaft having cranks arranged on different radii, combined with the riddle-plates suitably supported, whereby to discharge the material being sown between them, and connections between said plates and the cranks of the drive-shaft, substantially as set forth.

ISRAEL MARION SWANK.

XVitnesses:

CHAS. G-LAWE, G. W. LEMASTER. 

